In a world that keeps changing at an ever-increasing rate, effective conservation work depends on our ability to not only recognize the effects that anthropogenic impacts are having on wildlife and ecosystems, but also to understand these effects in order to be able to predict them, mitigate them, and even reverse them. A mechanistic approach to conservation can provide conservation practitioners with much needed tools that will enable them to predict wildlife population trends and devise effective conservation interventions. Animal behavior serves as a mediator between an organism and its environment and may provide the flexibility needed for animals to maintain a positive fitness over a wider range of environmental conditions. Knowledge of a species behavioral attributes provides, therefore, important mechanistic insights into how human actions (direct or indirect) can impact the species, and what actions can be taken to minimize this impact.

The Animal Behavior in Conservation Working Group (ConsBehav WG) is aimed at bridging the gap between the scientific knowledge of animal behavior and its implementation in the field by fostering discussions, collaborations and initiatives that will promote the use of animal behavior research into conservation and management of species and habitats. Join us!